Lviv transplant surgeons successfully performed a liver retransplantation on a 32-year-old patient for the first time.

A 32-year-old resident of Lviv region, suffering from cirrhosis and a rare blood type, had minimal chances of receiving a donor organ. However, fate provided him with not one, but two such opportunities. He underwent liver transplants twice, exactly one month apart. Both procedures were performed by specialists at the Transplantation Center of the First Medical Association of Lviv.

Problems with the liver for 32-year-old Ostap Tolkach from Lviv region began nearly six years ago. He developed jaundice. His bilirubin level soared to over 800, while the normal range is up to 21. This is a critical indicator. Doctors diagnosed him with liver cirrhosis – an irreversible progressive damage to the organ. The only possible salvation with such a diagnosis is transplantation, the medical facility reported.

For several years, doctors managed to keep Ostap alive with medication. However, last year his liver began to fail. Medications were no longer effective. In the summer of 2024, after several hospitalizations due to internal bleeding, he sought help from Lviv transplant specialists. The team placed him on the waiting list for a donor organ, but his chances of receiving one were slim. He had a rare blood type – IV “+”, which also needed to match that of the donor. Nevertheless, a donor appeared just a month later, giving Ostap a chance for salvation. On August 13, the transplant surgeons performed the liver transplant. However, complications arose during the postoperative period: thrombosis of the hepatic artery. The transplanted organ failed, and Ostap was once again placed on the waiting list.

It was a true miracle that exactly one month later, on September 13, another donor with the same rare blood type became available. Doctors referred to this as a genuine wonder.

“This is indeed an astonishing coincidence. Exactly one month after the previous transplant, another donor with the same blood type appeared. Our team performed a retransplantation for Ostap. This means we transplanted the organ again to the same individual. The complexity of the second consecutive transplant was that our patient had already undergone one intervention, leading to certain adhesions that complicated the procedure. Despite this, we managed to succeed,” said transplant surgeon Oleg Huziy.

For the Transplantation Center, this operation marked its first successful retransplantation of the liver. The patient is feeling well. He reports that fatigue has vanished, and he has regained his appetite and energy. He is eager to recover quickly and return to his beloved job as a chef-pastry chef.